scholarly journals Task Repetition Can Affect Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Based Measures of Language Lateralization and Lead to Pseudoincreases in Bilaterality

2004 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hubertus Lohmann ◽  
Michael Deppe ◽  
Andreas Jansen ◽  
Wolfram Schwindt ◽  
Stefan Knech
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Blood Flow ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Transcranial Doppler Sonography ◽  
Task Repetition ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Language Lateralization ◽  
Word Generation

Repeated functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during learning and recovery can inform us about functional reorganization in the brain. We examined how, in the absence of reorganization, simple task repetition affects measures of fMRI activation. We studied fMRI activation over 10 consecutive sessions of silent word generation in a healthy subject. Additionally, we performed functional transcranial Doppler sonography (fTCD) to learn about the temporal pattern of corresponding changes in cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) and pulsatility. With repetition, word generation-associated increases in heart rate diminished steadily. Task repetition also led to a net increase in CBFV bilaterally and to a bilateral increase in the number of activated voxels on fMRI. As a result, whereas the absolute interhemispheric difference of activated voxels remained constant, there was a decrease in the standard fMRI index for language lateralization [LIfMRI = 100 (activated voxels in left hemisphere - voxels in right)/(voxels in left + voxels in right)]. Thus task repetition can lead to changes in task-related autonomic drive and an augmentation of bihemispheric blood flow. This can mimic increasing bilaterality of brain activation.

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Measures of Blood Flow Patterns in the Human Auditory Cortex in Response to Sound

1998 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 538-548 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean C. Huckins ◽  
Christopher W. Turner ◽  
Karen A. Doherty ◽  
Michael M. Fonte ◽  
Nikolaus M. Szeverenyi
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Blood Flow ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Speech Stimuli ◽  
Complex Stimuli ◽  
Scanning Session ◽  
Auditory Research

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) holds exciting potential as a research and clinical tool for exploring the human auditory system. This noninvasive technique allows the measurement of discrete changes in cerebral cortical blood flow in response to sensory stimuli, allowing determination of precise neuroanatomical locations of the underlying brain parenchymal activity. Application of fMRI in auditory research, however, has been limited. One problem is that fMRI utilizing echo-planar imaging technology (EPI) generates intense noise that could potentially affect the results of auditory experiments. Also, issues relating to the reliability of fMRI for listeners with normal hearing need to be resolved before this technique can be used to study listeners with hearing loss. This preliminary study examines the feasibility of using fMRI in auditory research by performing a simple set of experiments to test the reliability of scanning parameters that use a high resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio unlike that presently reported in the literature. We used consonant-vowel (CV) speech stimuli to investigate whether or not we could observe reproducible and consistent changes in cortical blood flow in listeners during a single scanning session, across more than one scanning session, and in more than one listener. In addition, we wanted to determine if there were differences between CV speech and nonspeech complex stimuli across listeners. Our study shows reproducibility within and across listeners for CV speech stimuli. Results were reproducible for CV speech stimuli within fMRI scanning sessions for 5 out of 9 listeners and were reproducible for 6 out of 8 listeners across fMRI scanning sessions. Results of nonspeech complex stimuli across listeners showed activity in 4 out of 9 individuals tested.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging at 3t as a clinical tool in patients with intracranial tumors

2005 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 599-609 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. van Westen ◽  
G. Skagerberg ◽  
J. Olsrud ◽  
P. Fransson ◽  
E.-M. Larsson
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Field Strength ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Surgical Approach ◽  
Intracranial Tumors ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Clinical Tool ◽  
Word Generation

Purpose: To investigate the potential of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at 3T as a clinical tool in the preoperative evaluation of patients with intracranial tumors. High magnetic field strength such as 3T is of benefit for fMRI because signal-to-noise ratio and sensitivity to susceptibility changes are field-strength-dependent. Material and Methods: Twenty patients with tumors close to eloquent sensorimotor or language areas were studied. Motor, sensory, and two language paradigms (word generation, rhyming) were used; their effectiveness was determined as the percentage of patients in whom the functional area of interest was activated. Activation maps were calculated and their quality rated as high, adequate, or insufficient. The influence of fMRI on the neurosurgical decision regarding operability, surgical approach, and extent of the resection, was assessed. Results: Paradigm effectiveness was 90% for motor and 95% for sensory stimulation, and varied from 79% to 95% for word generation and rhyming in combination. Ninety percent of the activation maps held high or adequate quality. fMRI proved useful: in the decision to operate (9 patients), in the surgical approach (13 patients), and in extent of the resection (12 patients). Conclusion: fMRI at 3T is a clinically applicable tool in the work-up of patients with intracranial tumors.

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